Cardiac care at Sault Area Hospital recently received some tender loving care.
The Sault Area Hospital Foundation’s sold-out “because iCcare” gala at The Machine Shop raised more than $50,000 to support services at the hospital.
Dinner was followed by scotch and port tasting, along with the music of Jay Case and Frank Deresti.
“We were thrilled with the turnout and were especially pleased to see so many new faces,” said Amy Reich, SAHF board member and gala committee organizer. “Thank you to all of the local businesses and individuals who donated items to our silent and live auctions. The response was overwhelming and our guests were very generous in their bids.”
Cheryl Pavoni agreed.
“When the community comes together as they did for this event, our hospital benefits,” said SAHF’s executive director.
“Community support will raise the funds necessary to bring improved cardiac care services to our hospital.”
SAH cardiac care received more money earlier this year with Cardiac Clothing Collective, which generated more than $11,000.
The event, held Sept. 29 at The Machine Shop, featured "pre-loved" clothing accessories. A silent auction boasted specialty items.
Sault Area Hospital announced in July it plans to start offering cardiac angioplasty procedures by late 2018.
The service introduction means up to 500 patients a year won't have to travel to Sudbury or Toronto to see a doctor to have their clogged arteries opened.
Patients currently wait up to a week. Urgent cases can have the procedure done within 90 minutes of entering the hospital starting next year.
SAH is working with the cardiology department at St. Michael's Hospital in Toronto and Ottawa Heart Institute to lay the groundwork to offer cardiac angioplasties. The hospital is to redevelop about 2,000 square feet near a third-floor cardiac catheterization laboratory.
SAH made its original submission to offer cardiac angioplasties to Cardiac Care Network of Ontario in 2014.